'Malema did not say black lawyers are incompetent': Dali Mpofu defends EFF leader's 'anti-black' views

Former EFF national chairperson advocate Dali Mpofu has come out in defence of party leader Julius Malema's decision to hire white lawyers to represent him on charges of common assault.

Mpofu said while it is wrong for the EFF and the ruling party to hire white lawyers over competent black lawyers, Malema's decision did not imply that black lawyers are incompetent.

He said the party's advocates are black, and even claimed the red berets “lost more cases since it started using white attorneys".

Malema and the party's Mbuyiseni Ndlozi appeared at the Randburg magistrate's court on Wednesday and Thursday last week to face trial for the alleged assault of police officer Lt-Col Johannes Venter at the funeral of Winnie Madikizela-Mandela in 2018.

Scores of EFF supporters went to court to show support for the two leaders while critics pointed out that Malema and Ndlozi were represented by white lawyers.

Unfazed by the backlash, Malema lashed out at his critics while addressing his supporters outside the court on Thursday.

LISTEN | Contradictions in testimony at Malema & Ndlozi assault trial

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“There is some story going around that we are represented by white lawyers. It is true, they will represent us today, tomorrow and any time we want. No one chooses lawyers for us. We choose our own lawyers and we know which one is best where,”  Malema said. 

“We are not an anti-white organisation. We are a non-racial organisation and our stand against white racists is not a stand against white people.” 

Malema was further criticised and accused of being "anti-black" after he said the EFF lost some cases when it was represented by black lawyers.

“When we were losing cases with black lawyers failing to submit the simplest thing like a one page, and then we must use the same person, lose cases so that we can be projected as the most disorganised organisation with no direction,” charged Malema in a video clip shared on social media.

Mpofu also responded to criticism against the EFF leadership for its perceived failure to speak out against Malema's controversial views. 

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